Baffin Island caribou ban lifted
Wildlife board gives harvest the green light, survey to commence
Stewart Burnett
Northern News Services
Saturday, August 29, 2015
IQALUIT
After a ban on all caribou hunting earlier in the year, the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board has now given the green light to a limited harvest.
After an eight-month ban, Baffin Island caribou are open to harvest, with a total limit of 250. The Qikiqtaaluk Wildlife Board will be responsible for determining allocation of tags among hunter and trapper organizations. - NNSL file photo
|
Effective immediately, 250 male caribou are allowed to be harvested in the Baffin Island caribou subpopulation.
The Qikiqtaaluk Wildlife Board will have the responsibility for determining allocation of the caribou tags among community hunter and trapper organizations.
"The densities of caribou in North Baffin are extremely low, and any harvest there may create conservation concerns," stated Environment Minister Johnny Mike in a news release.
"In order to mitigate the risk of conservation concerns from harvesting in North Baffin, we are strongly suggesting to the QWB that they allocate the harvest so that most, if not all, harvesting takes place in Central and South Baffin."
Harvesting cannot start until tags have been allocated to the communities by the Qikiqtaaluk Wildlife Board. People must have a tag before hunting.
In addition, the Department of Environment will be conducting a composition survey of Baffin Island caribou to provide updated information on the female-to-calf ratio, an indicator of overall productivity.
The results of that survey should be available in late fall, after which all parties will determine whether the caribou male limit is acceptable and whether other management actions may be necessary.
"Caribou are an essential food source for many families and decisions like this must maintain a fine balance between our peoples' needs and wildlife protection, with continued vigilance in monitoring and re-evaluation of the situation," stated Mike.
The ban originally came into effect Jan. 1in response to concerns that caribou numbers were low.
A 2014 aerial survey estimated the Baffin Island caribou population at between 3,462 and 6,250 animals, representing greater than a 90 per cent decline since the 1990s.
